NEW YORK — The cost to taxpayers of the private law firm hired to represent former senior mayoral adviser Tim Pearson has swelled to nearly $500,000, updated city records show.

The figures show the tab has risen to $465,639 for Pearson’s representation by lawyers at the firm Wilson Elser in four lawsuits filed by four current and retired cops over sexual harassment and retaliation. A total of $326,844 has already been paid with another $138,795 billed but not yet paid, the records show. The number suggests the cost could reach $1 million by the end of the year.

“It’s a high number. It’s a lot of money for no benefit. I’m for spending money on food, housing, things like that,” said Council Member Gale Brewer, D-Manhattan, a critic of the city’s position on representing Pearson.

The retired NYPD Inspector close to Mayor Eric Adams was sued in March 2024, initially by retired Sgt. Roxanne Ludemann, who claimed Pearson caressed her arm at a holiday party and repeatedly asked her personal, “sexually charged” questions.

When she complained, the suit alleged, Pearson used his influence to have her transferred to patrol. Three other cops – Chief Militiadis Marmara, retired Lt. George Huang and retired Sgt. Michael Ferrari – also sued, claiming after they backed up her claims, Pearson dead-ended their careers as well.

The drama all unfolded in the secretive Office of Municipal Services Assessment, a unit created by Mayor Adams to evaluate the performance of city agencies that operated out of 375 Pearl St. behind police headquarters.

Pearson resigned his post Sept. 30 as another casualty of the federal corruption probe of Mayor Adams and top officials in his administration.

Word of the rising legal bill comes soon after the city paid $350,000 to settle lawsuits filed by three security guards who alleged Pearson had them falsely arrested following an October 2023 scuffle at a Midtown migrant shelter.

In February, the city Department of Investigation found that Pearson abused his authority by refusing to show ID and initiated the shoving match. He then falsely claimed they had accosted him first, leading to their arrests, DOI found.

Nicholas Paolucci, a spokesman for Law Department, said Pearson remains entitled to representation despite the DOI findings on the migrant shelter confrontation.

“The DOI findings are unrelated to the current cases against Mr. Pearson,” Paolucci said. “Under 50-k of the General Municipal Law the DOI findings have no bearing on whether he is entitled to representation in those unrelated matters. As a reminder, we determined outside counsel was needed due to a conflict that prohibits our office from representing Mr. Pearson.”

The posture has been controversial. Indeed, it was reported to be a factor in Corporation Counsel Sylvia Hinds-Radix’ decision to step down in July 2024.

As one element of the council’s charter revision effort in 2024, Brewer, the Upper West Side council member, proposed tightening the latitude that the city’s lawyers have in deciding whether to pay for legal counsel for current and former cops, “including members of the administration,” accused of wrongdoing.

The proposal was ignored by the Adams administration, an aide to Brewer claimed.

The Law Department meanwhile countered similar to its position Wednesday that such decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. “Representation decisions hinge on the status of the employee at the time of the events at issue and the nature of the proceeding,” the agency wrote.

The agency cited state law, which requires the city to pay for the defense of an employee if they were acting in the scope of their employment and not in violation of agency rules or regulations. The representation continues even if the employee is no longer with city government, the law states, unless there is a a subsequent finding of wrongdoing “related to the matter for which they are being represented.”

“I think they have too much discretion to represent these individuals when they are accused of wrongdoing and the city ends up paying the price,” Brewer said Wednesday. “The problem is you have to go to the charter revision commission and try to change it there. The voters should be able to decide if the standard should be changed.”

The city is also paying for a private firm, Quinn Emanuel, to represent Mayor Eric Adams in the lawsuit filed by Lorna Beach-Mathura accusing him of sexually assaulting her 30 years ago, a position that has sparked debate but has been upheld by city lawyers. In March, a judge denied the city’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

And the city is representing retired Chief Jeffrey Maddrey in a sexual harassment case brought by NYPD Captain Gabrielle Walls against Brooklyn North Chief Scott Henderson. Maddrey was forced to retire after Lt. Quathisha Epps accused him in a sex for overtime scheme.

On March 3, Brewer wrote a letter to city Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Truffant noting DOI’s February finding about Pearson’s misconduct in the shelter incident and asking whether Pearson was still being represented by the city.

Goode-Truffant replied March 4 that Pearson had not requested representation in the shelter case and the city does not represent him. She did not address the Wilson Elser representation.

Meanwhile, John Flannery, who represents Pearson, and John Scola, who represents the four cops, declined comment.

The four lawsuits filed by the cops are expected to be consolidated into one case as the parties battle over whether all documents have been turned over, the case file shows.

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